16 research outputs found
Epidemiologic and clinical updates on impulse control disorders: a critical review
The article reviews the current knowledge about the impulse control disorders (ICDs) with specific emphasis on epidemiological and pharmacological advances. In addition to the traditional ICDs present in the DSM-IV—pathological gambling, trichotillomania, kleptomania, pyromania and intermittent explosive disorder—a brief description of the new proposed ICDs—compulsive–impulsive (C–I) Internet usage disorder, C–I sexual behaviors, C–I skin picking and C–I shopping—is provided. Specifically, the article summarizes the phenomenology, epidemiology and comorbidity of the ICDs. Particular attention is paid to the relationship between ICDs and obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD). Finally, current pharmacological options for treating ICDs are presented and discussed
beta-Glucocerebrosidase gene mutations in two cohorts of Greek patients with sporadic Parkinson's disease
An increasing number of clinical, neuropathological and experimental evidence linking Gaucher disease and a spectrum of synucleinopathies, including Parkinson's disease (PD) has emerged over the last decade. In particular, several studies, despite individual differences, have shown that mutations in the beta-glucocerebrosidase gene (GBA) are a risk factor for PD. Recently a study from Northern Greece has shown a significant overrepresentation of such mutations only in patients with early onset PD. In the present study 8 different GBA mutations covering 87% of the mutations identified in Gaucher disease patients diagnosed in Greece were investigated in two ethnic Greek cohorts of patients with sporadic Parkinson's disease. Cohort A included patients residing and originating from Thessaly, Central Greece (n = 100) and cohort B included patients residing and/or originating from the greater area of Athens (n = 105). Age-gender-ethnicity matched healthy individuals from the same areas were included as controls (n = 206). In patients of cohort A 11 carriers of GBA mutations were identified (5/11:N3705, 2/11:L444P, 2/11: D409H;H255Q 1/11:H255Q 1/11D409H) as opposed to 3 in the controls (n = 105) (1/3:N370S, 1/3:H255Q 1/3:Y108C) (p=0.021, OR 4.2, 95% CI = 1.14-15.54). In patients of cohort B 10 carriers of GBA mutations were identified (4/10:L444P, 4/10:D409H;H255Q 1/10:N370S, 1/10: IVS10-1G -> A) as opposed to 4 in controls (11 = 101) (3/4:N370S, 1/4:L444P). However the difference was not statistically significant (p = 0.113, OR 2.5,95% CI = 0.77-8.42). In both cohorts, patients with PD harboring a GBA mutation had an earlier onset of symptoms than non-carriers (p = 0.034, p = 0.004). The overall difference in the number of carriers identified in PD patients and controls was statistically significant (p = 0.006; OR 3.24; 95% CI = 1.35-7.81). The association was reinforced in the early onset PD patients (EOPD; n = 28, p = 0.000, OR11.37; 95% CI = 3.73-34.6). In conclusion GBA mutations were identified with increased frequency in both geographical cohorts of patients with sporadic PD studied compared to control individuals, with the difference being statistically significant only in cohort A. An impressive association with EOPD was found and one third of the EOPD patients examined harbored a GBA mutation. Qualitative differences regarding the type of mutations and/or their relative frequencies were observed between cohorts A and B of PD patients. Genetic and/or environmental factors may account for the observed differences. (C) 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved
A review of recent hydrocarbon exploration in Greece and its potential
Summarization: The paper reviews the recent exploration
activity of hydrocarbons in Greece and
neighbouring Albania and Turkey. Emphasises
the relevance of the prospects in these
neighbouring countries and those identified in
Greece, and finally accentuates the importance
of a new exploration strategy in Greece. With
only few deep exploration wells drilled the last
years, none offshore, the area should be set for a
more extensive exploration effort and a future
announcement for a new onshore and/or
offshore licensing round by the new Greek
government should be pursuedΠαρουσιάστηκε στο: 1st International Conference AMIRE
Large scale failure of the external waste dump at the “South Field” lignite mine, Northern Greece
Summarization: This paper presents the failure process of the external waste dump of the South Field Mine, the major open pit mine in Greece. The waste materials of the mine were deposited in three phases, forming an average inclination slope 10% and a total height of 110 m from the ground surface. The failure occurred when the third phase of the deposit was initiated. The high moisture content of the waste materials and their deposition over a spring, choking its flow, had as a result the development of high pore water pressure in clayey and marly materials in the base of the deposit. As a consequence, a large scale slope failure incident occurred. The landslide involved the mobilization of waste material in the order of 40 Mm3, while the material that moved outside the boundaries of the waste dump was in the order of 2.5 Mm3. The stability of the waste dump was investigated using the limit equilibrium analysis and different types of models.
Limit equilibrium analyses were performed using different methods and considering the clay layer of small shear resistance that exists in the base of the deposit. They do not indicate activation of failure mechanism, only that there is a combination of high pore water pressure that developed in the deposit because the covering of the spring with the clayey materials of the dump.Παρουσιάστηκε στο: Engineering Geolog
Confounding and Effect Modification in the Short-Term Effects of Ambient Particles on Total Mortality:Results from 29 European Cities within the APHEA2 Project
Confounding and effect modification in the short-term effects of ambient particles on total mortality: Results from 29 European cities within the APHEA2 project
We present the results of the Air Pollution and Health: A European
Approach (APHEA-2,) project on short-term effects of ambient particles
on mortality with emphasis on effect modification. We used daily
measurements for particulate matter less than 10 mum in aerodynamic
diameter (PM10) and/or black smoke from 29 European cities. We
considered confounding from other pollutants as well as meteorologic and
chronologic variables. We investigated several variables describing the
cities’ pollution, climate, population, and geography as potential
effect modifiers. For the individual city analysis, generalized additive
models extending Poisson regression, using a smoother to control for
seasonal patterns, were applied. To provide quantitative summaries of
the results and explain remaining heterogeneity, we applied second-stage
regression models. The estimated increase in the daily number of deaths
for all ages for a 10 mug/m(3) increase in daily PM10 or black smoke
concentrations was 0.6% [95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.4-0.8%],
whereas for the elderly it was slightly higher. We found important
effect modification for several of the variables studied. Thus, in a
city with low average NO2, the estimated increase in daily mortality for
an increase of 10 mug/m(3) in PM10 was 0.19 (95% CI = 0.00-0.41),
whereas in a city with high average NO2 it was 0.80% (95% CI =
0.67-0.93%); in a relatively cold climate the corresponding effect was
0.29% (95% CI = 0.16-0.42), whereas in a warm climate it was 0.82%
(95% CI = 0.69-0.96); in a city with low standardized mortality rate it
was 0.80% (95% CI = 0.65-0.95%), and in one with a high rate it was
0.43% (95% CI = 0.24-0.62). Our results confirm those previously
reported on the effects of ambient particles on mortality. Furthermore,
they show that the heterogeneity found in the effect parameters among
cities reflects real effect modification, which is explained by specific
city characteristics
Confounding and effect modification in the short-term effects of ambient particles on total mortality: within the APHEA2 project
Imaging geological formations at the area of Almiros river, Heraklion, Crete, Greece
Μη διαθέσιμη περίληψηNot available summarizationPresented on